TNCC English 109 Fall 2011, English Elite COLs

9:30-10:45 a.m. and 11-12:15, Tues. & Thurs. / Prof. Rick Dollieslager

painting the big blue marble

OOH! Just look at those synapses firing.

Last Updated, 6 December 2011, 11:15 a.m.

Office Hours (click it) . . . . . / . . . . . . Email: dollier@tncc.edu

Class Resources

Contact Mr. D. by email, dollier@tncc.edu; by phone, 825-3543; or in person, room 874, first floor of Templin Hall

Professor Sulzberger's email and phone number ("Mr. Bob" is our COL Learning Coach): sulzbergerr@tncc.edu, 757-879-6491. Contact him if you can't get together with Professors Dubbe' or Hayden or Dollieslager

Extra Credit Opportunities

You may earn a total of 15 points of extra credit (equivalent to 1/2 of a final letter grade). For attending and turning in a page or more of Cornell notes on the following on-campus workshops, seminars and events, you may earn five points per event, to total no more than 15:

Week One

Tuesday, August 23
In class: Foundations/First Day Activities: 1] Introductions all around, 2] writing the On Course pre-semester self assessment, 3] writing journal entry #1 for English 109 (go to page 11)
Homework for Tuesday 8/30: Read pages 1-28 (all of Chapter I). Write journal entries 1, 2 and 3. I will collect your journals (1-3) on Thursday of next week

Week Two

Tuesday, August 30
In-class: 1] Case study discussion: "The Late Paper"

Homework for Tuesday 9/1:Write journal entries 1, 2 and 3. I will collect your journals (1-3) on Thursday

Thursday, September 1
In-class: 1] Discuss the behaviors of successful students, 2] Flesh out the syllabus.

Homework for Tuesday 9/6:
Get your book!!! (and bring it to class) We will do a popcorn reading of the first section of Chapter 2 and discuss Creator/Victim behavior.

Week Three

Tuesday, September 6
In-class: 1] Introduction to Power Writing (11 a.m. class only), and 2] a popcorn reading of the first section of Chapter II

Power Writing resources:

Homework for Thursday 9/8:
1] Read pages 29-41
2] Power Write one paragraph which defines what Dr. Downing calls "Creator" behavior and gives examples that show when you have acted the Creator role.

Thursday, September 8
In-class: C & V and the language of responsibility (Let's learn some hand gestures. Ahem.)

Homework for Tuesday 9/8:
1] Read pages 42-62
2] Write journal entries 4-7 (we will add these to your journal folders on Tuesday)
3] Do your own lyrics analysis follwing the instructions: a) Identify 6 songs that you are familair with or that you commonly listen to to analyze the messages in the lyrics. Three will exhibit Creator messages and three will exhibit Victim messages. b) Go on line and find the lyrics of these songs; then copy a couple stanzas which exemplify the song appropriately, and paste those lyrics into an MS Word document. c) Below the lyrics, state whether the message is a Victim or Creator message and explain why. d) Additionally, give advice to the Victim messages on how to act the Creator role. e) VERY IMPORTANT: in your lyrics analyses, write your answers in complete, grammatically correct sentences. This assignment is due at the start of class on Tuesday.
4] After reading the pages assigned above, write down a problem you are facing--either related to school/classes, or to your life outside of school. We will share these in class, on a small scale, when we practice the Wise Choices Process.

Week Four

Tuesday, September 13
In-class: 1] Turn in the C/V lyrics analysis assignment, 2] Practicing the Wise Choices process

Homework for Thursday 9/15, two paragraphs:
1] Power Write a paragraph resulting from your Wise Choices experience in class today about the problem you will solve, including the possible solutions. 2] Power Write a second paragraph describing the action you will take and giving the reasons why you will have chosen this solution. 3] Number your Power Writing pattern for each paragraph (below the paragraph).

Professor Sulzberger's email and phone number ("Mr. Bob" is our COL Learning Coach): sulzbergerr@tncc.edu, 757-879-6491. Contact him if you can't get together with Professors Dubbe' or Hayden or Dollieslager.

Thursday, September 15
In-class: Power Writing paragraphs on Creator and Victim behavior following the instructions from the handout in class.

Homework for Tuesday 9/20, two paragraphs:
1] Power Write a paragraph on Creator behavior following the pattern in the instructions
2] Power Write a second paragraph on Victim behavior, following the same model as for the Creator paragraph
3] TYPE both paragraphs and save them to your jump drive and then send them to yourself as an email attachment
4] Turn in journals 4-7 at the start of class on Tuesday
5] BRING with you the Wise Choices paragraph that you drafted as homework assigned for 9/15 above as well as the worksheet handouts from which you drafted the paragraph. We will revise these paragraphs in class using Power Writing.

Week Five

Tuesday, September 20
In-class: Revising the Wise Choices paragraphs into Power Write format

Here is an example of how we might start the paragraph on the Wise Choices process:

  1. [Power 1] Dr. Downing says that people can create desired outcomes in their lives by following the six-step Wise Choices Process, as I intend to do regarding my problem ______________(time management, for example)_________________________.
  2. [Power 2] The first question in Downing's Wise Choices process is "What is your present situation?"
  3. [Power 3] My present situation is that I don't seem to have enough time to do my school work.
  4. [Power 3] My family also wants more of my time, and it's important to me to spend quality family time.

Homework for Thursday 9/22:
Finish drafting the Power Write a paragraph on using the Wise Choices process per our class discussion.

Thursday, September 22
In-class Activity: 1] Reconstructing Bertrand Russell's "What I Have Lived For," the quintessential five-paragraph theme. 2] Discussing thesis statements and paragraph transitions.

Homework for Tuesday 9/27:
Finish the essay by writing a good introductory paragraph and a good concluding paragraph and by unifying the essay in other necessary ways. The topic of the essay is how to use the Wise Choices process to create the favorable outcomes you desire in your life, in other words making Creator decisions and choices. It is developed by defining both Creator behaviors and Victim behaviors, showing that you sometimes have played both roles; and it goes on to exemplify the process by showing that you have used it to come to a favorable solution to a specific problem in your life. Some things to consider about how to make your separate paragraphs into a good essay.

Week Six

Tuesday, September 27
In-class: 1] Study Skills: Reading texts (pgs. 57-62) and Note-taking from texts (pgs 93-100) Taking notes on the NHLP using the Cornell (University) notetaking method.

Homework for Thursday 9/29:
1] Read the first part of Chapter 3 and Fill in the "main notes" sections, finish the "cues column" (if necessary), using the Cornell notes format which we started in class, covering pages 63-77. Turn this in for a grade on Thurs. at the start of class.
2] Bring your completed essay on using the wise choices process to solve a problem. We will need it in class.

Thursday, September 29
In the 9:30 a.m. class: Finish drafting the wise choices essay per the instructions posted above on 9/22
In the 11:00 a.m. class: 1] Reader-Writer pair-share. Use the Peer Review document to provide feedback to one of your colleagues on his or her paper. I will grade the quality of your peer review suggestions (10 points), so give useful feedback to each other, please. 2] I will review your notes from the first half of Chapter 3.

Homework for Tuesday 10/4:
1] Read the rest of Chapter 3 and Write Cornell notes for pages 78-101. Turn these in for a grade on Tues. I will give you a 30-question test on Chap. 3, and you may use your Cornell notes, so make them thorough.
2] Turn in your completed essay on using the wise choices process to solve a problem. Bring electronic copy of it to class with you because I will want to collect a few of the good ones.

Week Seven

Tuesday, October 4
In-class: Open-notes test on Chapter 3. After completing the test, turn in both the test and your notes. Both will receive a separate grade.

Homework for Thursday 10/6:
RE-read pages 85-89 and bring your On Course book to class

Thursday, October 6
In-class: 1] Using the instructions in Journal # 11 to write a personal affirmation. (In class!) 2] Discussion: What were the qualities, skills and behaviors I exhibited, and what were the expectations that others had of me when I have excelled at ________________________. (Could be athletics, music, my hobby, parenting--fill in the blank with a difficult skill you have excelled at.)

Homework for Tuesday 10/11:
Read pages 101-121
Write journals 12, 13, 14

Week Eight

Tuesday, October 11
In-class: 1] Discuss the case study on time management. 2] Write a memo to Ricardo and Tracey.

Homework for Thursday 10/13:
Read pages 121-137
Write journal entry #15

Thursday, October 13
In-class: 9:30 1] Discuss classroom deportment. ("Simmah Down Now!") 2] Research and take notes on test-taking skills from websites. Watch the ancillary videos outside of class. Be prepared to make a presentation on what to do before testing, during testing and after testing to ensure successful results.
11:00 Take the Hartmann Personality Inventory with Mr. Sulzberger

Homework for Tuesday 10/18:
Bring ALL of your material from ALL of your classes. Following the instructions at the end of Chap IV and from your research, we will organize our study material from ALL of our classes.
Turn in journals through #15

Week Nine

Tuesday, October 18
In class: 1] Let's get it all organized!
11:00 class: Take the Hartmann Personality Inventory with Mr. Sulzberger

Here are some extra credit opportunities. You can earn up to 5 points (each) for attending a student success seminar or a career development workshop and turning in complete Cornell notes OR a one-page summary (appx 250 words) of what you learned from the session or seminar. If you attend and turn in three sets of Cornell notes or three summaries, you may earn the maximum 15 points of extra credit for the semester.

Thursday, October 20
In class: Note-taking from lectures. Lecture topic, "An Owner's Manual for Your Brain"

Week Ten

Mr. D’s Chapter V Summary: Interdependence refers to the degree to which people cooperate in order to achieve mutually beneficial results. Successful people “develop mutually supportive relationships . . . create a support network . . . and strengthen relationsnhips with active listening" (Downing, p. 139) helping both others and themselves to reach their goals and dreams. Interdependence is developed by working together to accomplish specific objectives, is strengthened by active listening and honest communication. In an interdependent system, everyone contributes to agreed upon processes or objectives and everyone benefits.

Tuesday, October 25
In-class: 1] Preview the Chap. V Wordle then freewrite for ten minutes on the terms and interdependency concepts you are familiar with, and also on the things you want to learn from Chap. V based on the terms in the Wordle 2] In your base group read the Case Study, "Professor Rogers Trial." Follow the instructions at the end of the case study about ranking the characters and discuss your rankings. Then read the "Diving Deeper" question and as a group write a memo to me describing the positive actions you would take to deal with each of the members of this group if you were working with them. Place the memo and your freewrite in my mail box in room 852 by 3:30 on 10/25, when I will return to campus from a conference in Richmond.
PLEASE NOTE: I won't be in class on Tuesday as I will be at a conference for VCCS teachers. Bear in mind, please, that Chapter V is about "Interdependency," i.e., working together successfully to achieve group and individual goals. You all have been well prepared to work together throughout the semester, so now you get your opportunity to show your instructors how well you have learned these lessons. IF you are able to arrange for your base group to do this assignment and get it turned in by the time it is due and NOT meet together in the classroom, you may do that and NOT meet during class. However, the classroom will be open and available for you and your group members to meet and accomplish this assignment if you prefer to meet face-to-face at the time that your class normally meets. Best of luck. I will try to stay logged in during the conference sessions so that you can contact me via email while your class is meeting, and I will check email frequently during the conference which begins Monday morning and runs through Tuesday early in the afternoon.

Homework for Thursday 10/27: This is a reminder that I will check your base group course-organization activity checklists for all of your course materials on Thursday, so bring that with you if I didn't collect it on Tuesday.

Thursday, October 27
In class: FINALLY, we can start the "brain stuff." Whew!! Note-taking from lectures. Lecture topic, "An Owner's Manual for Your Brain"

Homework for Tuesday 11/1:
1] Power write a paragraph following this pattern: 1-2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3 The topic senteince will state that according to Dr. Rita Smilkstein there are six stages in the Natural Human Learning Process. The Power 2 sentences will describe Smilkstein's six stages, and these will be followed by the Power 3 sentences, which will give an example of what YOU did in this stage of learning the skill or activity that you discussed in class.
2] Read pages 141-155
3] Write journals 16, 17, 18

Week Eleven

Tuesday, November 1
In-class: 1] Why do we learn by the NHLP? It's not "magic." It's biology! That's right: learning is a biological process!! Let's see how so that we can understand why we learn in these stages or phases.

Thursday, November 3
In-class: 1] Reviewing WHY we learn by the NHLP, the process and the biology of brain development. 2] Drafting a paragraph about how neurons grow and develop (similar to trees).

Homework assignment for Tuesday, 11/8:
1] Write two more paragraphs on brain development: 1a] one paragraph about how synaptic firing takes place (similar to a spark plug firing). 1b] one paragraph discussing how emotions "affect" learning and giving examples of situations in which you can and should have applied this information.
2] Read pages 155-170
3] Write journal 19

Week Twelve

Tuesday, November 8
In-class: Draft a concluding paragraph for an essay on brain development and functioning during learning, discussing why it is important to know how we learn, how the brain functions and grows during learning, and what we can and can't learn once we know how and why this process takes place.

Thursday, November 10
In-class: 1] Spot-check completion of the brain development paragraphs assigned from 10/27 through 11/8 above, 2] revew the material on brain development in order to revise the brain development paragraphs

Homework assignment for Tuesday, 11/15:
Drafts of FOUR separate paragraphs on brain development (assignments posted above). These will be the body paragraphs of an essay on how the brain functions and develops during the learning process. These are the body paragraphs, in this order, for the essay:

Week Thirteen

Tuesday, November 15
In-class: Chap. V, Interdependency Lesson 1: We all Swim or Sink Together In my absence today (I am at a training activity in Richmond), you will prepare for next week's brain development test by collaborating with your colleagues in a "sink or swim" experience. Instructions:

  1. Everyone will take a "Find someone who..." handout from the homework table and sign your name and date at the top
  2. You will mingle with your colleagues to "find someone who" can answer the questions on the handout.
  3. You will listen to the answer, and record it as your colleague described it IF YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS RIGHT.
  4. Get the initials of the person who answered
  5. No one colleague can explain and initial more than three of the answers on your handout
  6. You cannot answer it yourself and write your own initials, so if you have to teach the answers to someone else so that they can teach it back to you and initial your handout, then do it. That's the point of the experience: everyone aces the material you will be tested on, on Thursday.
  7. You will ensure that everyone in class has correct answers fon the handout, initialed by colleagues before any of you leave today
  8. Place the completed handouts back in the folder, and three reliable volunteers will take the folder to my mailbox in my Division's mail room, 852, downstairs in Templin Hall.

Homework assignment for Thursday, 11/17:
Due: FOUR separate paragraphs on brain development (assignments posted above). These will be the body paragraphs of an essay on how the brain functions and develops during the learning process. In class on Thursday, we will discuss how to write an introductory and concluding paragrah to unify the body paragraphs into an essay. These are the body paragraphs, in this order, in the essay:

Thursday, November 17
In-class: 1] Test on brain development. 2] Review brain paragraphs (so bring them with you, printed out). 3] Discuss introductory and concluding paragraphs for brain development essays.

Homework assignment for Tuesday, 11/29:
Read pages 241-262
 Write journal entries 29 and 30
Finish composing the brain development essay by adding an introductory paragraph with a good thesis statement, and add a concluding paragraph. Be sure that you have good transitions between paragraphs, transitions which both link your separate paragraph topics to the purpose of the essay and to your thesis statement and which also make a smooth transition from paragraph to paragraph.

Week Fourteen

Tuesday, November 29
In-class: I do my life as I did the puzzle

Homework assignment for Thursday, 12/1:
Read pages 263-268
 Write journal entry 31
Edit your portfolio essays for Eng 1! Here is a GREAT resource that you can use to brush up on the editing skills we readers will look for in your portfolios. USE IT!!!
Due: 1] Journals 16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30, 31
Due: 2] Brain development essay

Thursday, December 1
In-class: 1] Do the post-semester self assessment. 2] Do journal #32, Turn in journals 16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30, 31, 32.

Resources for improving editing problems and preparing your essays for the portfolios:

Week Fifteen

Tuesday, December 6
In-class: 1] If you haven't already done them, do the post-semester self assessment. 2] and do journal #32, Turn in journals 16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30, 31, 32. Then [3] self-assess your brain development essay or give each other feedback on them usuing the content rubric I handed out in class. I will collect them for a grade on Thursday. (20 points possible)

Thursday, December 8
In-class: 1] Returning everything that has been turned in. NO extra credit or late work will be accepted at this point in the semester, so don't even ask. 2] View Celebrate What's Right. Write a reflection (150 word paragraph) on the following question:
"In what way is Dewitt Jones message essentially true, and in what way or ways is it not true?"

Week Sixteen

Tuesday-Thursday 9:30-10:45 class meets Thursday, 12/15, at 8:00-10:30 (no kidding--8 a.m.)

Tuesday-Thursday 11:00-12:15 class meets Tuesday, 12/13, at 10:45-1:15

Final reflection piece from The Gaia Hypothesis and The Global Brain. (Transcript of The Global Brain video.) Based on what Peter Russell and James Lovelock have espoused, consider some of the following questions:

 

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